On the recordMarch 31, 2011
I rise today to honor a remarkable woman. This weekend, those who love and admire Elizabeth Kearney will gather in Mankato, Minnesota, to celebrate her life. She passed away last Saturday at a very vibrant 96. She was a trailblazer in countless ways. She graduated with a degree in medical technology from the University of Minnesota in 1936. After her husband, Wynn, completed his residency in Rochester, Minnesota, they moved to Mankato, where they raised five children and became pillars of our community. The Mankato Free Press reported that she was a devoted mother who cherished family above all else and was so active in the community. She was a friend, a mentor, and a role model. Her daughter Ann and her sons Wynn and Mike and their wives, Ginette and Jane, are still an important force in our community. She founded the Women's Leadership Development Program at the YWCA, served on the Mankato Rehabilitation Center board, started the cultural exchange program at the University of Minnesota, Mankato, and served on so many countless organizations. The Free Press summed it up: ``Elizabeth was the personification of grace, humility, kindness, and generosity, and a day didn't pass without her touching someone's life in her special way.'' Elizabeth will be deeply missed not only by her family but by so many of us in the community who admired her commitment to causes greater than herself. ____________________
